Raison d'être
by AshleyLinda
Summary: This is O U R version of episode s 9-11 and the Eden of the East/Higashi no Eden movies. It is basically the same plot but different events happen. Our title: Raison d'être, is literally translated as "Reason for Being." Hope you like it! -A
1. Chapter 1

Thoughts of the small, harmless phrase resonated inside of him.

_Reason for being?_

Akira noticed the words scribbled almost illegibly on one of the sticky notes, and couldn't erase them from his mind. The fact that there was a question mark after the short sentence intrigued him even more; Pantsu had obviously written it down for a reason. In the end he tried to dismiss it as nothing more than what it was - a harmless phrase. By the time he had exited the large, worn-out building, his mind was already on some other things.

Saki and Micchon were ahead of him, their figures gradually getting smaller as he failed to catch up. Quickening his pace, the corners of his mouth curled upwards in a grin.

-x-

Pantsu watched as Akira left promptly, almost oblivious to his surroundings as he focused his attention down the vague phrase in the palm of his hand. After he heard the click of the lock and Akira's footsteps grow fainter and fainter, he crouched down and proceeded into the pitch darkness of his secret base. He was already adapted to the blackness and scanned the room for his computer. It laid right in front of him in the confined space as he reached out to turn it back on.

The screen presented his previous data he had loaded and he felt a small smile curl from the edges of his lips. The glow from the light lit up the contours of his face as he gazed at the monitor intently. He sat in silence with only the sound of his rapid typing, occasionally muttering his thoughts to himself. He was so captivated by the situation; the fascination driven him forward on his task. Minutes later, the typing came to a halt. His eyes widened as he stared at the monitor with shock. He exited his secret base and began to search the perimeter of the room hastily. Without a moment's glance, he found what he was looking for. Adrenaline was running through his body as he could hear his heart beat fast in his chest.

Clutching the small, ragged paper in his thick, clammy hands he felt a tiny surge of delight. It was quickly dampened when he discovered that he… didn't have a phone. His joy was instantly crushed by his sudden realization. Pantsu then had a moment of total hopelessness, he was on the verge of giving up. He concealed his eyes with the palm of his hand and then gave out a low, exasperated sigh. All that was heard was the crickets chirping and light footsteps approaching the door.

There was a moment of silence as Pantsu held his breath, panic slowly creeping into his system. His dilated eyes darted back and forth, searching for a way to speed up the loading process. His unfinished invention's loading progress was lagging behind the speed of his other supercomputers. Silently, cursing to himself, he then checked if there were other options. If he stopped in the middle, there was a possibility of not being able to recover the lost data: that was something he couldn't afford.

Eventually the notion that Takizawa might've returned presented itself to him. It was certainly a comforting thought; one that was pretty plausible. Looking back at the glowing screen, he saw the numbers increase slowly:

_Ninety-six percent. Ninety-seven. Ninety-eight. Ninety-_

Then it stopped.

Before he even had time to get frustrated, he heard someone charge at the door. Alarmed, Pantsu made a clenched fist with his hands and prayed that the information would finish loading in time. Apparently God was busy that day, for a loud thumping sound made him look up to see the door's thick frame collapse, allowing the two unidentified bodies to enter the room.

Mononobe scanned the interior, his face remaining impassive the whole time.

"Itazu Yutaka. An engineering student and computer whiz; someone number nine can rely on to uncover the lost data in number five's phone, correct?"

The statement was resolute, and needed no additional confirmation: its answer was that of stunned silence. Yuki hesitantly took a step towards Pantsu, who had no experience in dealing with surreal situations; especially ones that involved possible violence. The only response he could give was an involuntary flinch, as he recoiled at the thought of being touched. Scouring the place, Mononobe spotted the phone. For the first time a small smirk started to form on his face, twisting his features as he gave Itazu a baleful glare.

Not wasting any more time he advanced quickly towards the spot where the stagnant Pantsu was, and followed with a swift blow straight into his soft paunch. The overweight man doubled over with a loud groan, his confusion soon turning into fright.

Yuki watched the scene with distaste, and waited patiently as Mononobe took care of the one obstacle in front of them.

"Quit it, I think he's knocked out already," he stated quietly, while his partner once again hit Itazu with incredible force. What he got in reply was an icy stare, one that made him question whether it was better to speak out, or to stay silent.

"You have the potential to harm an unimaginable amount of people, yet you get cold feet over one man?" There was no doubt a hint of irony in his voice, something that bordered on the edge of sarcasm. For a fleeting second, Yuki thought he had seen an ominous look in his partner's eyes.

-x-

_What does this mean? Just who am I?_

Unanswered questions overflowed his head as he shoved his hands into his worn, jean pockets and raised his head upward to gaze at diamonds that shimmered in the night sky. He smiled at the simplicity and beauty of the stars. He ambled deliberately, watching Saki and Micchon chattering happily beside him.

"What's wrong?" Saki asked with a frown upon her face, sensing his distress somehow.

He slowly shut his eyes, only for a moment, breathing deeply. He somehow hoped that all his concerns would go away suddenly, then instantly dismissed the thought as childish.

"Takizawa-kun," Saki murmured to herself, "Why won't you tell me? Aren't we friends?"

She turned toward him timidly, apprehensive to the possibility he could be watching her. She pondered with the thought that he could, perhaps, be the cause of Careless Monday. Although there was a likeliness of that being true, she could not imagine someone with Akira's personality to do something so corruptive.

"Saki!" Akira shouted, poking her on the head lightly. "What's wrong?"

She bit her lip for a moment, searching for a clever excuse.

"N-nothing," she replied smoothly.

He clapped his hands all of a sudden, causing her to flinch at the sound. "Tell me."

She sighed in defeat, unable to keep all her thoughts to herself. "I don't understand."

"Understand what?" His face revealed none of his feelings as he stared at the pavement, his jet black hair concealing his eyes.

"Why-" she paused for a minute, her head deep in thought. "You aren't telling me anything."

"You are better off not knowing," he warned with a hint of melancholy in his tone.

Micchon was watching the conversation from behind them, unaware of the tension between the two.

"Finally, at the train station!" she announced cheerfully, her eyes brightening up.

Akira gave a breath of relief, anxious to go back to the multiplex. As he was walking, he saw, from the corners of his eyes, an obscure yellow object. He pivoted in the direction of entity and recognized it as his motorcycle. He was astonished and before he could contemplate reasons why his vehicle was at the station in Kyoto, his phone reverberated a familiar jingle in his camouflage green jacket. He flipped it open and lifted it up to his ear, walking away from Saki's side quietly.

"Hello?"

"Number 9, I presume?" a stoic voice answered.

"Yes? Who are you?" Akira muttered sharply as he leaned on the rigid brick wall.

"That will be answered soon, but you must get on your motorcycle and go." The mysterious person instructed.

"Where?" his tone apathetic and reserved, but slightly uncertain.

The stranger recited the multiplex's address flawlessly and then immediately hung up the phone.

Akira groaned and fastened his helmet onto his head. Ditching Saki and Micchon, he rode silently into the night.

-x-

A surge of dread rushed through her as Saki peered over Micchon's shoulders. She swiveled her head around and frantically searched for the same raven-black hair, and warm, gentle brown eyes that were oh so familiar to her. Truth be told, she was already on edge; without Akira it made matters worse.

"Takizawa-kun?"

"He never entered the train. In fact, he was heading in the opposite direction," Micchon informed her, while calmly staring out the window with expressionless eyes.

"Oh."

It was hard to hide the disappointment in her voice, so instead she stared out at the window. The glass was fogged up and cool to the touch; the view of her surroundings a blur. Saki squinted hard to make out individual objects among the rough city landscape, and let out a suppressed sigh.

He always ran off on his own, leaving her in his shadows. The cold feeling of being left out in the dark wasn't pleasant, but it was something she was gradually becoming used to.

_Is it because I'm not trustworthy enough?_

The insecurity gnawed at her, ebbing away an already diminishing confidence. There was too much to be doubtful of, but the one person she truly didn't want to doubt was Takizawa; she trusted him. It wasn't hard to see the sincerity in his smile, and how he always reached out to her, regardless of the situation. Even though Saki tried as hard as she could to stay mad, she felt a small smile play on her lips.

"I don't think he's the type of person who would harm someone without a reason," Micchon stated, abruptly cutting into her thoughts. Silence loomed over them until it was interrupted by a sudden, but loud bang.

* * *

**A/N: Bloopers**

Before: He had a moment of total panic and he had an epiphany… he could invent a cup of scones!

After: Pantsu then had a moment of total hopelessness, he was on the verge of giving up. He concealed his eyes with the palm of his hand and then gave out a low, exasperated sigh.

[Amazing transformation right? I was thinking of Linda's page in my yearbook… oh Linda…]

© Copyright of Ashley and Linda! No stealing D:


	2. Chapter 2

There was an anxious shout, then someone screamed. What was all the commotion about? Stretching her head Saki caught a glimpse of someone's face in the midst of the pandemonium. The train then unexpectedly came to a stop, making some people emit a gasp of surprise. A tall figure came into view, wearing a black beanie hat that covered all of his hair and most of his forehead.

"Everybody stop," the deep, gruff voice commanded. Something like the sound of an alarm rang in Saki's ear, making her dizzy. Keeping her eyes on the man and whatever object he had secured in his hands, she etched the image of him deeply into her mind. For a moment, there was fear that he was going to do something rash; something dangerous.

"I think he has a gun," Micchon whispered, concealing her mouth with her sleeve. "He looks pretty psychotic too."

The guy was a surly looking young man in his mid twenties, positioned in the center of a train while clutching tightly onto his hostage. The poor teenage boy was shivering, his panic-stricken face scouring through the crowd for help.

Saki could hear her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She could sense the feeling of distress and helplessness in her surroundings. She stood her ground, her body refusing to move. Her eyes darted back and forth; panic was slowly taking over her emotions.

They all remained motionless, unable to take their eyes off of the man. They studied his every move, waiting to seize an opportunity when fate allowed it.

Saki could hear the silent prayers to God for the young boy. There was plausible thought that the man meant no harm and would leave. But she felt an uncertainty about the outcome of the situation.

In the midst of the silence, there was not one breath heard. The situation tensed when each second passed without one word spoken.

Saki was about to give in and break the sudden silence until she heard a little jingle ring in her pocket. She had forgotten that Akira had given her his phone for safekeeping. The passengers all fixed their eyes in Saki's direction. Laughing nervously, she fingered the phone, hesitant.

"Just answer it," the figure ordered impatiently.

She smiled timidly and cautiously lifted the phone to her ear. Her eyes widened and a gasp escaped from her mouth.

"What's wrong?" the cheerful voice asked.

"T-Takizawa-kun?" She was almost unable to get his name out.

"Listen, I'm sorry for leaving you back there, but I did have a good intention." He chuckled on the other line.

She remained quiet, wondering what Akira could possibly be up to. She scanned the interior of the coach, ignoring all the stares and glares meant for her. The stranger was still standing in the same position, releasing his grip on the boy slightly and checking his phone. The design looked vaguely similar to Takizawa's phone, but it was concealed behind the man's leg.

"I just needed to tell you to not go to the multiplex. Just go home, alright?" Takizawa instructed, his voice getting tense.

"But why?" she blurted out.

"Look, I don't have time to explain, okay?" he answered sharply.

"Takizawa-kun!" she pleaded.

"Sorry," he apologized faintly before hanging up on her.

Shock took over her system and left her unable to do anything.

Couldn't he tell that something was wrong? She lowered her hand, the attacker eyeing her carefully. Soon his gaze was redirected at the phone, a small smirk forming on his face.

"So that's how it is, eh?" He said to Saki, his cold eyes piercing into her.

The male teen continued to struggle from underneath his tight hold, distracting him from the confused girl for a second.

"If anyone tries to escape, I'll shoot," he warned.

After hitting his hostage in the head with the corner of the gun, the fatigued boy passed out, which provided Saki some relief. Maybe that way he was safer, and would escape by the time someone came for help. Wouldn't someone notice a halted train?

"The police are preparing to come," Micchon informed her, hiding a smile. She wanted to ask how, but any words exchanged between them would surely arouse suspicion.

Just what was it that he wanted? Doing something so outrageous at a public place, even while knowing he probably wouldn't get away with it?

"That phone." He looked at Saki once again as he talked. "It's not yours, is it?"

"N-no?"

People were starting to stare, their curiosity piqued. Just what was the relationship between the man and the young passenger?

"As I thought. I would love to ask you more questions, but unfortunately I've run out of time. Juiz," he said into his phone, his voice subdued, "I need a car here—quickly, and make sure you delay the first set of police cars."

"On the way, sir. Anything else? " a monotone voice answered.

"None. Actually, maybe a change of clothes would be nice. And get all the files from my desk ready. I need them soon." He was starting to grow impatient as the police sirens approached. People riding were fidgeting and constantly whispering to one another, puzzled by the break in their daily routine. Too lazy to silence them, he ignored the stares as he swung the boy across his shoulders, the body still unconscious.

"Noblesse oblige. May you continue being our temerarious guardian." With that, the phone clicked, and the strange voice was gone.

Saki had remained still the entire time, but there was no mistaking it. Akira had the exact same phone. She noticed the intricate designs, and stole a peek at the one she had in her hands. A feeling grew inside of her, a premonition that she was involved in something big—something bigger than what she had expected.

Was all the secrets and danger necessary? Or was it the added baggage to the excitement?

Someone squeezed her hand, and she looked down to see Micchon. She gave her a gentle squeeze back. At least there were still some things that remained the same. Soon enough, the sound of a an automobile screeching to a stop could be heard from outside. The man with the beanie hat pushed open the slide doors, and exited in a normal fashion. For some reason the police sirens had been cut off, but more were on the way. As the car zoomed past the train, people poured out like flocks of caged pigeons. There was a lot of pushing and shoving, and several were interviewed as they exited by a reporter on standby.

-x-

"Today, a local train was halted when a sudden gunshot was heard. An unidentified man was carrying a gun and was holding a young teenage boy hostage. The train stopped in its tracks for at least 20 minutes until the man mysteriously disappeared as soon as the authorities arrived. The passengers were unharmed and they are to be questioned later on. Stay tuned for more information."

Akira slumped on the couch, shielding his eyes with the back of his hand. He turned towards the gleaming screen, his expression blasé, until he caught a glimpse of those peach-flushed cheeks and timid smile. There was a brief moment of relief, knowing that she wouldn't make it to the multiplex on time. He didn't need anyone to be involved with him.

Fingering the phone in his pocket, the anxiety caused him to fidget. When was his guest arriving? He was hoping he could gather clues about what happened before he woke up in D.C. He was seriously considering that he was possibly a terrorist, on the run and fleeing to America. The thought seemed conceivable; it was like a plotline of a movie of some sort. He's seen this situation before, he'll either end up dead or arrested.

He let out a nervous chuckle, what was he thinking? It wasn't reasonable; wouldn't he be noticed, even if he were a local criminal? He had so many questions running through his head, like who is he? Akira could be just another alias he goes by. It was frustrating not even knowing anything about himself; his own name, his birthday, his home country, absolutely zero. He didn't even know what he got himself into, this Messianic game. Why couldn't he be just another normal person you see somewhere on the street?

The answer to that: He was destined for greatness. Yeah, that sounds just about right. Add a cliché phrase and a believable scenario and his life is officially a motion picture film.

Akira was starting to get impatient. It had been 20 minutes since he arrived at the multiplex, and his enigmatic visitor still hasn't made an appearance. Suppressing a yawn, he refused to let himself fall asleep. But the stress tired him out; he was unable to keep himself alert and conscious. His surroundings became a blur and the lights dimmed. The last thing he saw an opaque figure looking over him with an apathetic expression.

"Sweet dreams, Number 9." He could barely hear the stolid tone, still processing the words in his mind.

Then it all faded into the blackness.

-x-

Saki could feel her lungs almost give out and her legs beginning to tremble. She could see her breath dissipate in the cold, frigid air. Micchon held her hand tightly, urging her to keep going.

"Saki, we're almost there!" Micchon shouted, panting between words. "Keep going!"

"Takizawa-kun," she whispered. "What is going on?"

"I'm sure Tak is fine, Saki. Don't worry." Micchon reassured her, squeezing her hand lightly.

"I know it's just that message, what doesn't he want me to see?" Saki tried to think of reasons, but her mind went blank.

"You're worrying too much, it's probably nothing." She gave Saki a warm grin and a short hug.

"I hope so," she murmured faintly, so low that Micchon didn't even overhear her.

They slowed their sprint to a walk, too worn out to continue running. She checked her phone anxiously, slightly wishing that Akira had left a message, or even tried to call. The chances were probably slim, but she had to keep faith in him.

There were no messages, not from Takizawa at least. Ohsugi texted her earlier, it sounded urgent. But she ignored them; she didn't need anything else to keep her on edge. Micchon's soft humming gave her some comfort and assurance, the tune enthusiastic and recognizable. She found herself humming along, a smile forming from the edges of her lips.

-x-

His head hurt. The first thing he remembered was waking up in a barely-lit room, his vision clouded and seeing double. After blinking a little, it cleared somewhat, but the mild headache remained. Noticing that he was securely bounded with thick, braided ropes, he tried to wriggle out of them, but it was all in vain.

"Sleeping Beauty has awakened," Yuki noted, chuckling at his own joke. His partner, who was not amused, gave a quiet grunt as he gradually inched closer to Akira.

"Takizawa, your phone is not on your person. WHY, may I ask?"

For the first time, he was grateful that he had given it to Saki. They had obviously searched him thoroughly, but there was no way in hell he would ever admit the truth. Instead, he looked up and gave Mononobe cocky smile.

"I don't know. I wonder where?"

For a second, his expression became tight. Giving Akira a choleric glare, he grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling him closer until his face was mere inches away from his own.

"Tell me where the phone is," he ordered, his voice dripping with acid, "or I'll make sure to efficiently check any person you ever spoke to."

He looked up at his enemy's face with an equally powerful glare.

"And just how do you intend to do that?" he asked skeptically.

"Why don't you ask your little friend Itazu? I'm sure he'll be more than welcomed to answer that." There was a small grin as he slowly pronounced Pantsu's name.

The man did look like the sorts to have a surprisingly sadistic nature. He wasn't surprised. Akira desperately pondered for a means of escape, the wheels in his mind slowly turning.

"You could've gave in obediently and joined us. This phone, this power; it's like having the abilities of God. Maybe even become him if I succeed." Yuki watched silently on the sidelines as Mononobe spoke, reminding himself of his own plans.

"If you're God, then I'm Karma," Akira spat, a note of seriousness in his voice.

-x-

Saki breathed deeply and closed her eyes, focusing on every word that was said. The vicious and brutal tones of Akira's attackers cut through her like keen knives. She was now sorry for coming. She prayed her tacit wishes would be heard in this desperate situation. She doubted Akira could escape, they had him tightly bounded and his enemies aren't exactly playing around.

She craned her neck to get a better view and get a glimpse of Takizawa's enemies. Her efforts failed, only to sit back to her previous position.

"It looks like we have company," the enigmatic voice chuckled darkly. "Please, come in."

* * *

**A/N: Suggestions**

Erm... if you want either this (-x-), or prefer linebreaks, please tell us. R&R! Thank you. c:


End file.
